MS in Electrical Engineering

The MS in Electrical Engineering (MSEE) at Washington University is an advanced engineering degree that prepares you for further academic study or a career in industry. The degree allows students to dive deep into the key research areas within the Electrical & Systems Engineering (ESE) Department: Applied Physics, Devices & Circuits, Systems Science and Signals & Imaging. The degree is also flexible enough for a broad survey of focus areas within ESE, while still allowing for a survey of areas outside of the department. Students may choose either the thesis or course only option, both requiring 30 credit hours.

Some students have gone on to further graduate studies, while others have gotten internships or after graduation, positions in industry as engineers, researchers and software engineers from such diverse companies as Amazon, Bank of China, Boeing, Bosch, Citigroup, Facebook, Google, Huawei Technologies, Nvidia, SpaceX, and Tesla.

Students pursuing the degree Master of Science in Electrical Engineering must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours of study consistent with the residency and other applicable requirements of Washington University and the McKelvey School of Engineering.

Requirements for Degree

• Refer to the University Bulletin for the specific requirements for this degree.

• A minimum of 30 of credit hours must be selected.

Electives

The remaining courses in the program may be selected from senior- or graduate-level courses in ESE or elsewhere in the university. Courses outside of ESE must be in technical subjects relevant to electrical engineering and require the department's approval. Undergraduate Laboratory courses may not be used to satisfy this requirement.

• At least 15 units of the 30 total units applied toward the MSEE degree must be in ESE courses which, if cross-listed, have ESE as the home department.
• Regardless of subject or level, all transfer courses are treated as electives and do not count toward the core requirements for the degree.

The following courses are approved by the department as electives.

Any course numbered 401 or greater in Engineering, Physics, or Mathematics with the following exceptions listed below.

The following courses ARE NOT approved by the ESE department as electives.

Any General Engineering Course

• CSE 501N, CSE 504N, CSE 505N

Undergraduate Lab Courses

• CSE 465M
• EECE 405, EECE 421, EECE 424, EECE 425
• ESE 435, ESE 447, ESE 448, ESE 449, ESE 465, ESE 488
• MEMS 405

Any Undergraduate Research, Independent Study, Senior Design, or Capstone Course

• ESE 400, ESE 497, ESE 498, ESE 499

Requests for exceptions to this policy may be submitted to the department chair with the approval of the academic advisor of the student.

Suggested Academic Requirements for Prospective Students

• A baccalaureate degree in engineering or STEM related degree.
• The following courses which form the foundation for the upper level courses required for the degree are highly recommended:
  • Calculus Sequence and Differential Equations
  • Probability and Statistics
  • Engineering Mathematics
  • Matrix Algebra
  • Physics
  • Introductory Computer Science
  • Signals and Systems
  • Circuits/ Electrical Networks
• The following courses are also important in the curriculum but are emphasized to a different extent in each of the key areas within the program. Students lacking this content may find it helpful to add it after admission.
  • Introduction to Electronic Circuits
  • Introduction to Digital Logic and Computer Design
  • Electromagnetics